How young is too young to have a Facebook profile?

Jessica - posted on 06/21/2011

personally i don't think anyone under 14 should have a face book page

Jamie - posted on 06/21/2011

If I remember right, Facebook has a specific age limit but I don't remember what it is. My kids have Circle of Mom Child spaces and that is enough for now. My daughter plays games but under my or my husband's accts. I figure 12 or 13 sounds appropriate. And even then, monitoring is a necessity! The older they get and the more trust they earn, the monitoring can be reduced to give them some privacy but if they are immature or cannot be trusted, the monitoring should continue til they prove otherwise. Privacy and respect should be earned when dealing with things such as this.

Stacey - posted on 06/21/2011

I dont know but my son is 12 and ive been just ignoring the whole idea of it...hes askd me a few times..i just worry bout the virtual world n a pre teen boy...i let him play my games on my page cuz he says thats all he wants 2 do...idk if thats true but i havnt n ddont plan on settin him up a fb acct zany time soon..

Kristen - posted on 06/21/2011

I don't think it is healthy for kids to stay on the computer all day so I would say anyone younger than 18 needs to at least be monitored and given a time limit but I also don't have teenagers so hmmm 15.

Dionne - posted on 06/21/2011

My son has a facebook page and he is 12. He asked could he have one and i said yes as long as i am his friend or other wise he could not. Am i nosey i sure am but i don't care. I said he could have a page doesnt mean he is grown so i go on my son page constantely. but he is mature he did put on his page that i was his mom and people had to respectful on his page or there would be problems. I mean it all depends on your child and how much you trust them. I like that he has it cuz when he cuts up i know how to put him on blast. And what kid wants there parent to embarass them on facebook. lolol.

Lovis - posted on 06/21/2011

I think it ok for babies to have a facebook because your can see whats going on there page but when they get older you just have to watch out who there are talking to and whou is talking to them. There are a lot of people out there that are not good to be around children so just be very watchful.

Lovis - posted on 06/21/2011

I think it ok for babies to have a facebook because your can see whats going on there page but when they get older you just have to watch out who there are talking to and whou is talking to them. There are a lot of people out there that are not good to be around children so just be very watchful.

Lovis - posted on 06/21/2011

I think it ok for babies to have a facebook because your can see whats going on there page but when they get older you just have to watch out who there are talking to and whou is talking to them. There are a lot of people out there that are not good to be around children so just be very watchful.

Hope - posted on 06/21/2011

My oldest daughter is about to turn 7 in September, and I have allowed her to have a fb account for about a year now. Granted, she is not necessarily social-networking, as she only has an account so that she can play a few of the interactive games on there with her cousin and grandparents. Her only contacts are family and a few close family friends. I do not allow her to get on by herself and I sit with her and help her operate the computer while she is playing. I also sign in for her and scan through her news feed and wall to make sure there is nothing inappropriate or questionable before she even knows that she is going to be allowed to play. I have set her profile so that only the contacts that can see anything concerning her account are people I have approved. We have not had any problems at all, and it has proven to be a good opportunity to begin teaching her about internet safety and computer operation. I see a lot of stuff from young teens and children on fb that make me cringe, and I find myself wondering where the parents of these kids are and what they are thinking to allow their children to put themselves out there the way they do. In my opinion, this issue is comparable to so many others we face as parents...if we are diligent in monitoring and teaching our children, I don't see a problem with any child having an account. We live in a world that embraces technology and we must teach our children what is and is not safe and appropriate if we expect them to conduct themselves in a safe and appropriate manner when the time comes that we aren't there to monitor them.

Frankie - posted on 06/20/2011

I have two 14 year old girls and two 12 year old boys. All four have a facebook account. I think it really all depends on your child and their maturity level. Plus, it depends on how much you are able to moniter the way it is used and what is posted on it. Mostly, my kids have it to talk to relatives that live far away. However, they do have school friends on there and I have both the emails and passwords to all the accounts. AND I CHECK THEM DAILY. Luckily, I am a stay at home mom and have the time to do so. I think, however, if I worked it might be a different story. Part of the reason they are allowed to have them is because I can and do moniter them.

I really think though that it depends on the child and the rules the parents lay down regarding the child having the account. My kids aren't allowed to add friends without my approval and, like I said, I check the accounts daily. If I do find someone that I haven't approved, I will close their accounts. So far this has not happened and they have had them for over a year.

Don't know if this will help, but wanted to put in my two cents worth...LOL

Sarai - posted on 06/20/2011

The rules on facebook are clear and the age is 13. But my personal opinion is that if they get a page at 13 it needs to be monitored by the parents. I have a rule that if you want to my kids friend you must be my friend and then my kids dont get their password until they have proven responsible. I dont they any kids is responsible enough until atleast age 16. By keeping the password kids are only able to get on if the parent is present. It works because I have a 17 year old and a daughter who is almost 14. This is my opinion and I am sure not very many people will agree with me but that is my opinion only.

Karen - posted on 06/20/2011

First of all, the FB TOS say 13 so definitely not younger than that or I would be telling my child that it's OK to break the rules if you don't like them. We have friends / family that are all over the country so I occasionally post pictures but if I have many I put them on a secure website and send the password to specific people. Sadly, even though you think you might know them, people don't think. So, even though things might be on private, that's no guarantee that someone might link to my pic and it wouldn't be private. Once it's out there, it's out there, and who knows where that pic might end up. If someone really wants to know what's going on, they can call or e-mail or write. Also, I'm not even sure I would allow it while she is living in my house because 1) Kids don't think, and 2) Kids don't think, and 3) not all kids are my kids. What I mean is that kids post things that shouldn't be posted and it ends up on others' pages / walls / etc. The last thing I want is for my child to be drawn into drama, bullied, or lose out on a job or a scholarship because someone making those crucial life decisions for her will not consider her because of a post on a social networking site. (I'm not being an alarmist, HR people and College Admissions folks interviewed and polled have confirmed this fact). I might monitor the site but that doesn't mean I would catch everything before the damage is done and I can't control other people. So...no for the next 6 years and more than likely not for the next 11 years.

Sarah - posted on 06/20/2011

It depends on how responsible your child is, I would say most kids would be ready by middle school? I know that is when my kids will be allowed, not any earlier (at least I plan).....

Kacie - posted on 06/20/2011

The age limit for FB is 13 for a reason. Maturity level plays a part in it too, IMO.

My sister in law made a FB page for my niece....who just turned 5 last month!! WTF!?!? i had a friend request, and denied it!! made me sick! i remember not long after she was born, SIL made a MySpace page for her! I denied that friend request too!!

Patricia - posted on 06/20/2011

I have grandchildren on fb and their ages are over 8 and it is ok for them but they are monitored. My fb page is closely watched by me, so no negative get to them.

Diana - posted on 06/20/2011

I don't think there is a set age you can follow. Your child should be mature enough to understand internet safty rules and trustworthy enough to follow them before they can have a facebook account. As long as you know how to turn on fb security features and are willing to keep watch over who your child is freinding facebook can be a fun place for them to talk with your family and play games. Here is a website that can help you learn and talk about internet saftey: http://www.netsmartz.org/InternetSafety

Shawnn - posted on 06/20/2011

A question to all of the parents, including the ones using an excuse to create one for their unborn, newborn, infant or toddle: At what point to you plan to teach your children integrity, and truthfulness? How can you HONESTLY say that you are within the rules by creating or allowing these pages? How do you expect your children to continue to be honest with you, when they find out that you have allowed them to lie (or lied for them) about their age? What kind of image does that give you?

Yes, you may trust your children, as you should. I do. However, mine have demonstrated that I could trust them, and they weren't allowed a FB until 13. That is the rule. If I allow them to ignore one "little" rule, that gives them the idea that ignoring another rule, or worse, law, will be just fine.

I maintain that there are plenty of other ways for your child to gain experience with a computer. Child oriented sites allow for plenty of learning opportunity. And for those who say "I let them for the games", or "I use it as a way to spend time with my kids", well, IMO, that is a pretty lame excuse. There are plenty of games that don't require FB, that have children/family friendly games. If gaming is what you want, get a playstation. If spending time is your goal, a computer really shouldn't be part of that, you should be spending time with your child playing outdoors, teaching them things like simple cooking, baking, card games, and face to face social interaction.

I am by no means attacking anyone, however, I really wonder how you're going to explain to your kids "well, I know I let you break the rules for FB, but it's really not OK"...without being a hypocrite.

Christina - posted on 06/20/2011

My step-daughter who just turned 13 has one. I can't stand it! She has requested to be friends with all of MY family members and even some of MY friends! No one wants to hurt her feelings so they accept, I have not and will not! I feel as if I can no longer post anything to anyone on FB now because she and her mother will be able to see it! She is only 13, what is I post something and it gets taken the wrong way?!? I do not think they should be able to have one until they are 16.

Barbara - posted on 06/20/2011

Honestly, it all depends on the kid.

My 15 year old could have easily handled FB at 9. I don't know if my 9 year old could handle it when he turns 13.

Whatever age, make sure you're part of the network and can see everything that is done. Also, it goes without saying - make sure they know about stranger danger and stuff like that online too....

Alisha - posted on 06/19/2011

depends on how well you monitor them. My four year old has a FB, but only for Pet Ville purposes. I allow my 9 and 10 year old to converse with their family members on FB, but they don't even know their own passwords, I get them on and monitor their every move.

Lindsey - posted on 06/19/2011

my daughter had hers at age 7...As long as you check and make sure no one she or he doesn't know is on there, it should be ok..just family and friends

Rebecca - posted on 06/19/2011

13 - with supervision. Probably an ok age and a great way to connect with friends in a SAFE environment. But, mom/dad should have admin rights and know what is going on. Kind of goes w/out saying in my book :)

Erica - posted on 06/19/2011

i think any child under 13 should not be aloud let alone any child under 16 should be highly montered

Jessi - posted on 06/19/2011

these parents that create pages for their newborns annoy the h*** out of me. i had a friend who did that for her newborn daughter...needless to say i did not accept the friend request.

Synquis - posted on 06/19/2011

I think no kid under 13 should have a facebook. Yea there's kid friendly games on it but that's not a good enough reason to let them on it. Even when you do set stuff on private your still putting your kid in danger. But that's just how I feel about it. If a parent really feels that it's ok then it's their choice. I just don't trust strangers when it comes to my kids.

Sabrina - posted on 06/19/2011

Im only 17 years old, so I'm in High School and i have a facebook. Honestly my son wont have any type of online social networking till atleast High School. But my boyfriends little sister has one and she's 12 but her mom checks it once a week at random. And ALWAYS checks her friends. She just thinks it "cool" so really some times there's no harm done. Its all on how its used.

Celeste - posted on 06/19/2011

FB is fun for playing games. I think that if you monitor your child's activity on the computer (i.e. passwords, time spent etc) it will be fine.

Laura - posted on 06/19/2011

Not until they are 13 in this house, and at that time I will have full access to their account i.e. password. My 8 yr old daughter wanted one so as a compromise I opened her own e-mail address that I have access to she feels more grown up and is able to e-mail her other family members on her own.

Kristy - posted on 06/19/2011

My son is 12 has had one since he was 11. The only reason he has one is to play all of the games that they have because he wanted to play on mine and I told him no. Everything on his page is set to friends only or private. I check it on a daily basis. He doesn't really use it for anything but games.

Quita - posted on 06/19/2011

I would think that 14-15 would be the youngest I would be comfortable with and even then I would want to monitor what goes on for my child

Carrie - posted on 06/19/2011

My son is 9 and has a FB page. But there are strict rules and regulations set. He is NOT aloud on FB or the computer at all without adult supervision. He plays alot of the games and keeps contact with our family that lives in various states. Alot of his friends that he goes to school with has their FB pages so he is also able to keep in contact with them over the summer.

When we created his page an email address of mine was used and ALL notifications are sent to that emal address where I monitor them. I check his FB notifications, request, and messages before he gets on the computer to make sure that they are appropriate. If you go to the privacy settings on the FB page u can customize them to very strict settings. ALL of the settings on his page restrict ALL personal info. even to family and friends so him and I are the only ones able to view them.

He enjoys his page; he is able to learn computer skills, (whether it be typing, computer navigation, etc.), and it creates time where him and I can sit down TOGETHER and have us time doing something he enjoys and benefits from.

I think that if the parents will make the time to spend with their children a FB page is not a bad thing. But, if parents are not going to be responsible enough to sit down with their child and teach them wrong from right, and monitor their childs actions and interactions then FB is not appropriate.

I see it this way, there are adults that have FB pages that are not responsible enough to have one. It's all how you choose to teach your children to be, done correctly at a young age will teach them to make the responsible decision when they are older.

Hope my opinion helps. Have a Blessed Day!

Andria - posted on 06/19/2011

Both of my kids have a fb page. They are 9 and 12. I got them one to keep in touch with family memebers and friends who have moved away. I have set strict guidelines when they are on it. They are not aloowed on when I am not around or at anyone's house. My oldest mostly plays games on fb like farmville and a racing game. They are not allowed to request any friends or accept any without me knowing who they are, and I have they passwords and am able to go on whenever I feel like it and check to see what they are doing. You have to know your kids and when they are old enough and understand the rules, they should ok. FB has good privacy settings that you can set up for the kids.

Liz - posted on 06/19/2011

If you watch the news or read the newspaper, our children are already exposed to too much ....FB would just be another form of exposure. My daugher 11 has begged me for one, however I didnt have one until i was 39 so she has a long way to gol.l. its time that we started protecting our children.

Dionne - posted on 06/19/2011

Since FB states you have to be at least 13 in order to have a page, then my son won't be getting on until at least then. He's fine with that because he has been taught not to lie. But in the mean time he has a page on Togetherville.com. A parent has to set it up initially with their email address and then you can add your child(ren) with their own username and password. You receive emails that let you know what they did on their page. They had age appropriate games for them to play that are also educational (problem solving) but don't tell them. Lol

Christine - posted on 06/19/2011

I taught 5th & 6th grade (but before the advent of FB), my husband teaches 8th & MIL is a middle school principal. I also have a 12 year-old son and 11 year-old daughter. I think we would all agree that even at 13, FB can be dicey. Kids can be naive,other kids can be mean, cruel or very insensitive. Even kids who seem mature make stupid mistakes & it becomes very public very fast. They also don't have the life experience to just shrug stuff off. I would hold off for a while.

Audria - posted on 06/18/2011

I think it depends on how mature the kid is . Even though my daughter is only 3 she will not have 1 of these or anything else that comes out like this in the next 9 yrs untill she is 13

Karen - posted on 06/18/2011

I respect other parents opinions about not allowing their kids to have a Facebook account. But let me just say why I don't find Facebook a threat.

I am bigger than Facebook. Facebook rules are not Mommy's rules. I do not put myself on the same level of a social network when it comes to how my kid sees rules. I created that Facebook account for him so he doesn't have to play on mine.

Talking to strangers? He definitely doesn't talk to strangers because all his 32 friends are my brothers, sisters, my parents who live far away, my cousins and a few of his classmates. And what's the use of privacy settings?

I guess I'm not too scared of the things that other Moms say here against kids having a Facebook account because I am a work at home mom and I am always around when my son is on the computer. And I can completely understand if some, especially those who have to go to work, don't think it's a good idea.

And I believe the whole thing all boils down to our style of parenting. I know some parents who have prohibited their 10-12 year olds to have a Facebook account, they say yes in front of them but they actually already have existing accounts, which they created in school or somewhere else.

I strongly believe that if we have built a strong foundation when it comes to trust between us and our kids, we need not worry about them having social network accounts. I believe that if our kids feel comfortable about sharing things with us, or knows the importance of seeking our permission when it comes to certain things, and puts a lot of value in our effort to give them guidance, then I think we should not be too scared.

Samantha - posted on 06/18/2011

I just want to say I LOVE this site. ♥ & I let my 13 (and only after 13) yr old have one BUT I have the PW and I MAKE his dad check it too! As well as MONITOR his movement on it and have allot locked down! If parents are really concerned they can buy programs like NANNY and it locks out any R rated content and ads! :))

Jennifer - posted on 06/18/2011

I have a facebook profile for my 15 month old and have had it since before he was born... I've found that it's the easiest way for the grandparents to keep up on his day to day life when they can't be around to see him every day. And this works out so well because y parents live 9 hours away and my husbands parents travel a lot. The only reason I decided to do this in the first place was because of the picture overload I knew I'd be in store for following his birth and I'm so happy I went ahead with this because he already has over 700 photos that family and friends wanted to share with everyone.

So personally I think as long as myself or my husband are the ones running the profile until he is old enough than there is nothing wrong with it, especially since we've only got it visible to people whom one of us have friended.

Jennifer - posted on 06/18/2011

mine are 7 and 8. They have only family as friends. they play the games and I monitor it very closely. They are not allowed to add anything or visit other pages unles we are sitting right there watching.

Karen - posted on 06/17/2011

My 8-year old boy has a Facebook account but he's not allowed to access it when I'm not around. He really just plays some games there. I made sure in the privacy settings that no one else can search for him or send him a message except for his friends.

He's not really there to interact with his classmates, in fact he hardly logs nowadays, he got tired of the games. It was a little helpful before because when he got sick one time and had to skip school, we were able to ask his classmates who happened to be online about homework.

I think things like FB can somehow help build and strengthen trust between parents & children. My son never uses the laptop without my permission. And when I say he's only allowed to play for an hour, he constantly checks the time.

Kerry - posted on 06/17/2011

I also have my kids info on Circle of Friends but I am not letting them have a personal account on Facebook until they are at least 13, mature enough for it, and give me their login info.

Christie - posted on 06/17/2011

what could a child possibly need a facebook page or even an email for, they have these rules for a reason, i personally think even 13 is too young, if its not necesary such as a parent living away from home then they dont have any reason to have it, they can see their friends at school like we did and rack up bills on the house phone like we did because on the internet you have no idea who it really is they are talking too

Eronne - posted on 06/17/2011

At what age will you let your child talk to strangers?? I'm serious. Think of a scenario where your 4 year old is at the park with you and there's a group of shady looking adults hanging around. What criteria do you use to decide that your child should not go and speak with them?
That must be the same criteria on line. Children under the age of 8 should NEVER be on a social network and most specifically never on one without controls and protection of some kind. It is my position (I'm in the industry) that a child is not completely safe even on a monitored site. I always wanted my children to be as safe as possible and even more so when they were little. Please think about what you want your child to see.

Natasha - posted on 06/17/2011

I think that anyone younger than 15/16 should not have a facebook. There is absolutely no need for an 8 year old or 11 year old to be on facebook. Its ridiculous! Even though facebook's rules say 13 i still think that that is too young! 13 year olds are way too trusting and willing to give out private info.

Becky - posted on 06/17/2011

The rules for FB state that you have to be 13 to have a FB page. All of my kids were grown when FB became a big thing so it was not an issue for me personally. However I taught my kids to follow the rules and those who are allowing their kids to break the rules by having a FB page are teaching their kids that rules are not important. How are you going to feel when they decide that your rules are not important either??

Lisa - posted on 06/17/2011

Simple question, simple answer. No younger than 13, per FB's own rules: http://www.facebook.com/help/?faq=210644...

Shawnn - posted on 06/17/2011

I cannot believe the responses! "It's ok, because I did it, so that I could post pics, etc for family to see" What's wrong with sending those same pics thru email, or better yet, an old fashioned letter?

I guess for some, rules are made to be broken...no matter what they are.

Nancy - posted on 06/17/2011

Considering the facebook rules say you have to be 13, then the parents are lying if they allow their child under 13 to have a facebook page. If you need to share pics and info with family far away, use parents facebook page, or make a separate one for the family. There is too much trouble online. But mainly if you allow them an account before they are 13 you are telling them it's ok to lie.

Amber - posted on 06/17/2011

Not until my daughter is 18. Time after school is family time and homework time, and definitely not designated for friends until those things are done. Besides harassment from other highschool students, and cyber bullies, there are also men out there (and women, i guess) who may target your teen/preteen/child for inappropriate things, like sex, or asking for naked pics, or sending your child naked pics. Who knows? People have said things to me online that were questionable. There are stories about it on the news all the time!